Never let go
by Evil Twin
Summary: It's a Rocky fic. (Don't really know how to summarize) **warning: it contains DEATH.**


Rock sighed while he waited in the hospital's waiting room. They had just taken some tests because his chest had been hurting for a long time and Vince had finally convinced him that he should go to the doctor and check it out. He hated hospitals and just couldn't stand being there. He checked his watch and sighed heavily. "What is taking them so damn long?!"   
  
"Mr. Johnson?"  
  
Rock stood up and headed into the doctors office. The doctor didn't have a very good expression and Rock immediately asked, "Is...is there something wrong?"  
  
"Sir, please tell me what your symptoms have been."  
  
"Symptoms? Well, my chest hurts; remember? That's the only reason I got sent to this...place."  
  
"We both know it's more then that. Would you mind telling me?"  
  
Rock looked at the desk. "I've been getting tired very easily, it's hard for me to breath sometimes. I don't eat as much as I used to... I'm just not the same and I have no idea why. ::Rock looked at the doctor:: But I guess you do know why though. There's something wrong isn't there?"  
  
"I'm afraid there is. You...you seem to have a tumor in your chest. Unfortunately it was been spreading and there's nothing else we can do anymore. You...you don't have much time to live. Maybe a month...if not less... You should have come to get it checked out the minute you had problems."  
  
Rock didn't know what to think. This all had to be some kind of cruel joke. He couldn't die. He was The Rock! He felt as though everything had fallen to pieces. He didn't say anything and headed out the door.   
  
I was waiting there for him. I thought he would come out and say, "Haley, let's get the hell out of here. There's nothing wrong with me. It's all doctor talk..." I went up to him. "Hey Rocky. Ready to go 'home'?" It wasn't really home, just the hotel. I noticed his expression and said, "Rocky? What's wrong? What happened?"  
  
"I...I have to talk to you, but not here. Get me out of here please."  
  
There was such pleading in his voice that all I could was nod and we got out of there. In the ride to the hotel he didn't talk, just stared out the window and held my hand. Once we got to our room I couldn't ignore it anymore. "Baby, are you ok? What's wrong?"  
  
He hugged me tightly and just whispered: "Don't let go. Just hold me tight please. I need you right now." I hugged him how he asked me to and he continued: "Haley...I...I'm going to die."  
  
I looked at his eyes and for the first time that I could remember I saw something that I had never seen before: fear. This made me realize this was not a joke. "No Rocky. You...you're probably mistaken. You...you can't die." He sat in the bed and I saw tears flowing from his eyes. Fears then stroke me too. He was telling the truth. "Rocky...baby...I...no! This has to be wrong. You're so young; you have your whole life ahead of you. You..."  
  
"I know that, but that's nothing now. I'm going to die. The doctor says I have a month to live, if not less."  
  
I sat in his lap and held him tight. Tears wanted to flow so badly, but I couldn't show it. I had to be strong for him. He needed me to be strong. When I gathered enough courage inside of me I looked at him and wiped his tears. "I love you Rocky, and I'm going to be here for you every moment. I promise. I'm not leaving you. Ever." The last part was a choked sob and I stopped. How could all this be? He had a whole life to live and now he had to lose everything. It wasn't fair! We loved each other and we had been married for only three months. I managed to calm down and continued: "We're going to be strong baby. We have to. It's hard, I know, but we have to."  
  
He hugged me again and said: "Just don't let go." After a while he said, "I love you Haley." We laid down hugging each other and fell asleep.  
  
I didn't let go.  
  
  
By next week everybody backstage knew. I didn't wrestle anymore and spent every waking moment with Rocky. That night he didn't wrestle anymore either. He couldn't. He was too tired, but in the moment where he was supposed to fight we both came out. Everybody cheered as usual, but Rocky wasn't his serious self. He was sad and everybody seemed to notice. Once in the ring he took a moment to take everything in. He was wearing his favorite silk shirt and his famous shades.   
  
When he felt ready and after some Rocky chants had died down he said: "Tonight...tonight I come out here not to thrash anybody. I come out here to...to make an announcement. From now on you won't see me wrestle anymore. I wasn't fired, and I wasn't suspended. Last week I found out that...that I'm dying."  
  
I held his hand tighter and fixed my own shades. Tears were there and ready to start falling, but I couldn't. I had to be strong. The crowd gasped when they heard Rocky and his fans immediately could be seen with tears running down their cheeks.  
  
Rocky noticed this but continued: "I wanted to be the one telling you because I don't think anybody else needs to announce this. I also wanted to say to the millions... [The fans managed to say for a last time "and millions..."] of the Rock's fans that I'm going to miss all of you. Thank you so much for making me what I am now: The People's Champ and the most electrifying man in sports entertainment. I don't regret for one minute what I did with my life. Thanks all of you here and watching at home." He turned to me. "And thank you to my beautiful wife for everything. I love you baby." He turned back to the crowd and this time as I looked at him I saw a tear rolling down his face and another one in mine. I knew all of this was difficult for him. "And if some Jabroni comes and says that he's the next people's champ you can all lay the smackdown on his candy ass. Because there can only be one man that's the people's champion and that man is the Great One." He swallowed the lump building in his throat and said, "If you smell [fans continued with him one last time] what the Rock...is cooking."  
  
He raised an eyebrow and that's when I couldn't hold it anymore. Tears sprung from my eyes and Rock noticed this and gave me a sad smile. There was not one dry eye in that arena. Everybody loved the Rock and no one wanted to see him leave. Not like this. We got down the ring and started walking backstage but the loud sound of clapping stopped us. We turned around and saw that the whole arena was on their feet and a loud Rocky chant was forming. Rock looked around and raised his arm for the fans while everybody cried, cheered and chanted.   
  
This was the last time Rocky and I were in the ring together...  
  
  
The next morning Vince called us to a breakfast at the restaurant in the hotel. Rocky was pale and he hadn't slept well, but he wanted to go. We were going home after this and were going to stay there until...  
  
Once in the restaurant we saw everybody there waiting for us. When we sat down Vince got to a podium in the front of the restaurant. "Rock, we were going to wait for when you retired to give you this, but seeing everything that's happening, we want to this now."  
  
I turned to Rocky and saw a puzzled look in his face. He seemed so tired and pale, but holding on. All of the McMahon family went next to Vince and Linda said, "Rock, for all your cooperation to the World Wrestling Federation, for everything you have accomplished in such a short time, for everything you have done, we welcome you to the World Wrestling Federation's Hall of Fame."  
  
Vince motioned for Rock to go up there and Rocky went while superstars clapped. He received a certificate and a golden plate and Rocky couldn't help but smile proudly. Linda hugged him and said something to him. Once she pulled away we all saw that she was crying. Vince shook hands with Rock and Shane did the same. When Stephanie went up to him she broke down crying and hugged him for a first and last time.   
  
Linda handed Rocky the microphone. "Wow. For once I'm speechless. Thank you so much. Not only for this, but also for everything you have done for me. Even if Vince made The Rock's life a living nightmare sometimes." He looked down and breathed deeply. When he looked up he looked straight at me. "Haley, you're keeping this for me baby."  
  
I tried to smile and mouthed, "I love you" and blew a kiss to him. He shook hands with the McMahon's and went back to our table. He looked so pale and seemed to be having trouble breathing. When he sat down I held his hand and whispered: "You ok baby?" He shook his head and immediately I knew. "Somebody! Call an ambulance! Quickly!"  
  
I don't know who called; I just know Mick helped me lay him down gently. That was what Rocky wanted. I held his hand and told Rock: "Baby, stay with me, ok? Right here with me. Don't fall asleep."  
  
His eyes were almost closing by themselves and whispered: "I can't babe. I..."  
  
"No Rocky. Look, listen to me please. You have to hold on. For me?"  
  
He managed to open his eyes barely and said: "Ok. Just for you."  
  
The ambulance arrived shortly after. I went next to him while everybody just looked. In the ride to the hospital Rocky was drifting away, but each time he looked at me I tried to talk to him out of it. At the hospital they separated us in the emergency room. I cried for a while and tried to stop when I saw the doctor come out.  
  
"Did you bring in Duane Johnson in?"  
  
I nodded. "Yeah. He's my husband. How is he?"  
  
He looked at me for a moment. "We're trying what we can to keep him alive, but there's not much we can do anymore. I'm so sorry."  
  
"A...are you sure? Is there anything that..." he shook his head. "Can I at least be with him?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
He led me to his room and left me there. Rocky was lying down on a bed. He was asleep and he had every kind of monitor hooked on him. He was still breathing, but just barely. I sat down in the bed and held his hand. I couldn't believe it. This would be our last time together. I cried and cried until he started opening his eyes. I quickly dried my tears. "Hey baby." I smiled at him trying to make him feel better.  
  
He tried to smile. "I can't hold on Haley."   
  
"Yeah you can Rocky. If you don't, what am I supposed to do without you? I love you."  
  
A tear ran down his cheek. "I love you too, but I have to go."  
  
"No honey. Please don't. You have to hold on for me, remember?"  
  
He nodded and wiped a tear that had started running down my cheek. "Ok. I will. But Haley, you have to promise me something. Promise that you'll always remember me. You're going to be my eyes in here when I'm gone."  
  
"I promise. I will always remember you. Always. How can I forget the love of my life? I love you Rocky. I've loved you from the moment I met you."  
  
He loved hearing that. He always said that it reminded him of the night we had bumped into each other in the hall and met. From there on we became inseparable...until now. He tried to smile again and said: "I love you too. Don't forget..."   
  
Slowly he drifted away and closed his eyes. Something started beeping and a doctor came in. I was at the border of panicking. He looked at me and said: "He's in a coma. It shouldn't be long now." He went out as quickly as he came in and I sat next to rocky with his hand held in mine.  
  
I stayed there all day. There was no improvement, he just stayed the same. A nurse came in and checked his pulse and monitors. They had been doing that all day. The nurse looked at me and said, "You should get some sleep. It might be a long night." I was still holding Rocky's hand and I was just looking at him. When I shook my head she said: "You know, I'm sorry all of this is happening. I love The Rock and this is so horrible. But even if he's in pain he's still holding on. There must be a really important reason."  
  
She finished doing the check up and left. Now I started thinking. I didn't want Rocky to be in pain. I love him too much for that. I could now tell he was in pain and holding on and for only one reason: me. So I did what I had to do. Tears immediately ran down my face. "Rocky, baby, I know you're asleep, but I know you can hear me. I love you. I love you more then you can ever imagine. That's why...that's why you don't have to hold on anymore. You can let go now. It's ok. You fought until the last moment and I'm proud of you. Just...just don't forget me, because I'm sure we'll see each other again. I love you and I'll always be there with you and you'll be with me."  
  
I kissed his forehead, then his cheek while tears flooded my eyes. I wouldn't see his beautiful brown eyes anymore. I wouldn't hear his voice and his laughs. I wouldn't see his smile anymore. I whispered in his ear: "I love you...and I always will."  
  
I held his hand again and heard a monitor give a flat line. The same nurse came in with a doctor and told me Rocky was gone. They unhooked his motionless body from the monitors and gave me some time with him. I passed my hand through his hair and stroke his cheek. This was my last moment with him. I sat in a chair next to him and laid my head next to his, grabbed his hand and stayed there. I couldn't believe it. He was really gone. I stayed there for a while and didn't even hear the doctor and the nurses that tried to get me out of the room. All I remember was Vince coming in and telling me I had to let him go. That I had to. I stood up and kissed Rocky again one last time. Then I looked at him carefully. He looked so peaceful, so calm. While Vince was pulling me away I only wanted to run next to Rocky's bedside and stay there, but I couldn't. I had to let him go.   
  
Coming to the hotel was the hardest part. Everything reminded me of him. His cologne could still be smelled and his clothes and silk shirts were still carefully placed in the closet. And then in the night table I found two envelopes. One read: TO HALEY, and the second one was blank. I opened them and after reading them I cried and cried. I had never cried so hard in my life.  
  
  
I didn't feel like making an appearance in public, but I went to smackdown. The Rock's show. I had something to do but in the ring I thought I'd pass out at any moment, but I didn't. "As you all know The Rock, my husband, died. I didn't make statements with anybody because Rocky asked me to do something. The night I came to the hotel after...after he died I found a letter. It read:  
'Haley;  
Everything I said on Raw was true. I don't regret anything I've done in my life. I've loved you so much and I always will. Please share this with everybody. Tell them I loved them. Even the jabronis backstage. Tell the fans I'll always have a place for them in my heart. Tell my family I loved them. As for you baby, I love you more then anybody. Please don't forget me, because remember that I will always be watching out for all of you. IF YOU SMELL WHAT THE ROCK IS COOKING.  
  
The Rock'"  
  
There it was. It was the letter that was on the blank envelope. He wrote it the morning he had died but his beautiful handwriting reminded me he was here. I finished reading the letter while tears were choking me and I wanted to start crying again just how I had been crying since he had left. Everybody else was crying also. From backstage wrestlers, divas, commentators, crewmembers...everybody came out and surrounded the ring and the ramp. Rocky's song played, from beginning to end as a video showed images from his childhood to the most recent one, which had been that Monday's. Everybody in the wwf were silent and fans chanted Rocky's name over and over while everybody's tears were flowing. Rocky didn't come out like how he usually used to, but I knew he was around. I could feel his presence there.  
  
  
Two years later I am at a home that Rocky had bought the day we got married. I saw how our son played under the sunset from the beach of Miami. I found out I was pregnant later on. After the memorial show on smackdown I fainted, and was ordered to get some tests. I could have used Rocky's presence with me all that time, but I survived because I knew he was with me. I'm sad that Rocky never got to know that he was going to be a father and I'm also sad that he never got to meet his beautiful son. Baby Rocky was the spitting image of his father. It was like he was there to enlighten my life after Rock left. I never went out on a date anymore. My son is everything and I made a promise to Rocky once I found out that I would take care of him. I know Rock is with us and that he's watching over us. I always talked to baby Rocky about his dad, so he would know he was a wonderful man. I know that Rock is giving his blessings to his son wherever he's at.  
  
  
I don't own the Rock or any other character, just Haley. I'm sorry I did this, but it came to me as a dream and I had to do it.  



End file.
